


I wish to tell you a story

by OliverWilde (OlianderWilde)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, quiet confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:28:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28060917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlianderWilde/pseuds/OliverWilde
Summary: Harry and Snape have a quiet moment in the library at midnight.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Severus Snape
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	I wish to tell you a story

**Author's Note:**

> Night time is always the best time for heart-felt talks in my opinion.  
> This came from a fic I am working on, this is a bit I am cutting, but also I love it, and didn't want to just bin it.

Harry chuckled and leaned back, resting his head on the top of the sofa. "I never thought you and my mum reconciled before - you know..." Harry turned his head to see Snape picking at the fabric of his slacks, he opened his mouth but closed it again almost immediately. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"You didn't," Snape said firmly. "I wish to tell you a story, but I do not know how to put it into words without making you uncomfortable."

"Oh." Snape turned his head to look at him and Harry's breath caught in his throat as they looked in each others’ eyes, Snape's filled with concern. "No, I… You can tell me."

Snape looked away and crossed his legs. Looking at the bookcase in front of him he started: "I was there that night… The night you were taken to live with your relatives. In Godric's Hollow."

Snape glanced up at Harry, then back down again. "You were in your crib, in this ridiculous red and gold onesie, truly, just awful. You were crying, quite hysterically might I add. Your mother had written to me talking about you, how wonderful- what an angel you were… How much they adored you and that-" Snape swallowed. "Lily hoped to reconcile and wished for me to meet you; despite everything."

Harry brought his knees to his chest, resting his head on them.

"I had never touched, let alone held a baby, but you were crying and would not listen to my several attempts of scaring you into submission, so I picked you up. You were quite adorable, and chubby, and you'd just seen your mother killed. I thought perhaps I could have grown to know you. Black was in prison, Lupin was off in Ireland somewhere attempting to hide from society. I could perhaps have grown to care for you...

“Of course, I had, and still have not the first clue of how to raise a child, let alone an infant, but I could have learned, and you were so young. An innocent."

Harry’s chest ached. He rubbed his face on the sleeve of his hoodie and faced away from the other man.

"But then, of course, you threw up on me, dashing all possible hopes of me ever thinking of you with anything but hatred."

Harry gave one hearty laugh, almost a bark, but his face was wet, he couldn't bear looking at Snape like this. Harry sniffled involuntarily and felt a hand resting on his shoulder. Harry could feel the warmth and pressure. He swallowed thickly and reached his hand to rest on Snape's wrist, keeping it still.


End file.
